


Tune Up

by keylimepie



Series: Charlotte 'Verse [8]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Car Impala, Dean Winchester Loves The Impala, Dean and Kids, Dean is a Sweetheart, Fluff, Gen, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-07-26 07:11:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7564960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keylimepie/pseuds/keylimepie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean has a little work to do on Baby, but it's also a great opportunity to train the littlest Winchester in some important skills</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tune Up

**Author's Note:**

> Confession time: I've never changed oil or tuned up a car. If I wrote something stupid wrt that feel free to call me out. I go to a shop with crappy TV. ;)
> 
> This takes place about two years or so after the events of "I Still Believe." Soooo that puts us about S9-10ish, except most of that crap didn't happen that way since it's canon divergent. Whew. Hope that makes sense.

_Summer 2015_

Dean laid out the supplies for the oil change and tune-up like a surgical team would prepare. Every tool and part he could need was laid out easily at hand. Wrenches, screwdrivers, filter, spark plugs, jugs of oil. Satisfied, he sat down on the creeper and pushed the oil pan under the car. 

“Uncle Deeeeeeeeean,” trilled a little voice, making him jump and nearly smack his head on the bumper. “Can I help?” Charlotte Winchester ran into view, with scabby bandaged knees, a pink tshirt with kittens and matching pink shorts, and two pale blonde braids sticking out from under her bicycle helmet, and one gap in her smile from her third lost tooth. “I wanna fix the Impala!” 

Dean chuckled. “I guess I was about seven when I started. And you’re almost seven. And you’re smarter than I was. So, close enough.” 

“When did Daddy start learning how to fix it?” She plopped down on the greasy floor, yanking her helmet off. 

“Uhh… probably right before you were born. He was too busy with his nose stuck in a book to come join me under the car before that.” 

“I can get under the car?” she had started to crawl on the floor. 

“No! No, Jesus, they’ll kill me if I let you do that. No, uh. While you’re still a little kid, very important job in auto repair is to hand me stuff. So I don’t have to constantly be getting out and getting it. I’m getting too old for that crap.” 

“You could pay a shop. Mommy goes to a shop. They have crappy TV in the waiting room.” 

“Mommy goes to a shop for stuff because she drives a stupid foreign minivan. Frigging computers and crap. If she’d get a real car, I could do all of her work for her, not just change the oil.” Charlotte nodded, storing this knowledge away. 

“So, I’m gonna lay down and scoot under, and then you can hand me that wrench. I’m gonna take the plug out and then if you keep your head down and peek under, you can watch all the oil drip out.” Dean laid down and pushed himself under the car, positioning the drain pan. He reached his hand down and Charlotte laid the wrench in it with a satisfying slap. Dean bit back an “ouch.” Once he got the oil draining, he scooted back out. The kid was lying with her cheek pressed into the floor, staring in fascination at the pouring oil. 

“Why do you take it out?” 

“Because it breaks down and doesn’t work so good, and it picks up gunk. Gotta keep my Baby’s engine clean and happy.” 

“So you put more in?” 

Dean laughed. “Yeah, that’s kind of important.” 

“Isn’t it hard to squirt it up there so it doesn’t just blob all over again?” Dean laughed harder, a full body laugh that had him curling up. 

“Oh jeez. Yeah, that would… yeah. You’ll see,” he promised. He scooted back under and had Charlotte hand him the oil filter wrench, then the new filter. He replaced the plug and carefully maneuvered the full oil pan out. 

“Okay, now this is the fun part,” he said, taking the car off the jackstands. “Now you get to help me put the oil in.” He put the funnel in the open hole and pulled a sturdy chair close to the car. He hoisted the child onto the chair, then glanced at the greasy handprints on her pink tshirt after he put her down. “Whoops. Anyway. Here, help me pour this.” Together they lifted the large oil jug and poured it into the funnel. Charlotte stared in awe as the pale oil glug-glugged into the car. 

Next, she stood by and watched while he explained the process of changing spark plugs, how to properly gap them, and change the plug wires. He showed her where the air filter was and how easy that was to assess and change, though he’d just done that a few weeks ago. She helped him clean and pack the tools, and pour the used oil into the jugs to take for recycling. By the time they finished, her clothes, her hands, and even her pigtails were a hopeless greasy mess. Dean wiped her hands off as best he could on a shop rag. Finally, he sat in the driver’s seat and pulled her in on his lap. 

“Go ahead. Start her up.” He handed Charlotte the keys. Awestruck, her little hands got the key into the ignition and turned it until the engine roared to life. She gave a little shriek. 

“I did it! I fixed the Impala!” 

Dean laughed and squeezed her around the middle. “Yeah, you did.” 

“Uncle Dean.” 

“Yeah, kid?” 

“I love you.” 

Dean felt like his heart might bubble over. “I love you too, Lottie.” 

“Uncle Dean?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Can I drive it now?” 


End file.
